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A new round of controversy is rippling through conservative media after Candace Owens released what she described as leaked audio from an internal staff call involving Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, and a senior figure in the organization.
The clip, presented as recorded 11 days after Kirk’s September 2025 killing, features Erika discussing the scale of the public memorial, including crowd size and merchandise revenue, while critics focus on her tone, including audible laughter.
The episode has reignited an already volatile feud between Owens and Turning Point leadership, and it is unfolding alongside an active criminal case tied to the assassination.
What the Leaked Audio Allegedly Contains
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/english/candace-drops-secret-tpusa-tape-erika-kirk-heard-laughing-days-after-charlie-kirks-killing/videoshow/127760702.cms
Geo.tv, Parade, and TheGrio, each reporting on the same clip Owens promoted, describe a staff-call segment in which Erika Kirk praises the memorial as a major event and references large figures for attendance and sales. Across outlets, the most repeated lines and claims include:
- The memorial being described as the “event of the century.”
- A claimed crowd of roughly 275,000 people.
- Merchandise revenue discussed in the $200,000 range.
- A blunt line meant to halt internal disputes, paraphrased and quoted in coverage as her emphasizing the fact of her husband’s death and urging staff to stop arguing.
The dispute is less about whether the memorial was large, and more about what critics call an inappropriate tone so soon after the killing, and what supporters describe as a work setting where leaders can sound upbeat while trying to keep operations steady.
What Can Be Verified, and What Cannot
The outlets amplifying the story consistently label the material as “alleged” or “leaked,” and their accounts rely on excerpts Owens chose to publish, rather than an independently authenticated, full-length recording with sourcing and context made public.
That distinction matters because:
- A short clip can omit earlier or later remarks that change intent.
- Audio can be edited without obvious artifacts to non-experts.
- Even when audio is authentic, tone policing after a traumatic event is inherently subjective.
None of the reporting in the linked story, or in the major follow-on write-ups, establishes independent forensic verification of the recording.
The Memorial Itself, Location and Public Reporting
Separate coverage of the memorial service places it at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona in late September 2025, with extensive public attendance and high-profile political figures present.
The alleged internal figures cited in the leak, including the 275,000 claim and merchandise totals, are being treated in news coverage as statements from the call, not as audited totals.
Why Owens and Turning Point USA Are in Open Conflict
The leak lands in the middle of a broader fight that intensified after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Axios previously reported that Turning Point USA postponed a planned livestream intended to rebut Owens’ allegations and that Erika Kirk opted for a private meeting with Owens, paired with a pause in public attacks while that meeting was pursued.
That background reframes the January 2026 audio dispute as part of a continuing power struggle over credibility, influence, and narrative control inside conservative media, with Owens positioning herself as a critic of the organization’s leadership and messaging.
What Is Established About Charlie Kirk’s Assassination and the Ongoing Case
Charlie Kirk was killed in a shooting at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on September 10, 2025, a fact documented by federal authorities and major wire services.
The FBI has released investigation updates and public materials tied to the shooting.
Reuters has reported on the legal trajectory involving an accused suspect, including court proceedings and case-related developments.
What the Leak Changes, and What It Does Not
The leaked audio controversy does not add verified facts about the assassination itself. It shifts attention back to how Turning Point USA’s leadership handled the days after the killing and how rival commentators use private internal moments as political ammunition.
For Turning Point USA, the immediate risk is reputational: a staff-call clip can become a simplified morality play on social media, detached from operational context and grief realities.
For Owens, the clip functions as content and as leverage in a broader campaign to undermine the organization’s leadership, while keeping public focus on her critique rather than on formal investigative findings.
